3.2: religion basics
major concepts
religious diffusion
- ethnic religion: less widespread diffusion, holy places generally derive from distinctive physical environments of their hearths
- eg. Hinduism, mountains
- universalizing religion: often holy cities and other places associated with founder’s life, not directly related to the environment
- eg. Christianity, Islam
belief systems
- monotheism: the doctrine or belief that there is only one God
- polytheism: the doctrine or belief that there are multiple gods
- non-theistic: the doctrine or belief that there is no God
major world religions
- Christianity — universalizing
- hearth: Palestine (modern-day Israel)
- monotheistic
- symbol: cross/crucifix
- diffusion: contagious (contact between believers and non-believers; intermarriage)
- Judaism — ethnic
- hearth: Israel
- monotheistic
- symbol: star of David (six-pointed tar)
- Islam — universalizing
- hearth: Mecca, Medina
- monotheistic
- symbol: crescent and star
- Hinduism — ethnic
- hearth: Indus River Valley
- polytheistic
- symbol: om
- Buddhism — universalizing
- hearth: south Asia
- non-theistic
- symbol: dharma wheel